Michael And Tommy Brummitt Sentenced For Being Felons In Possession Of Firearms

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On Sept. 29, 2014, Tommy Brummitt, 43, of Elizabethton, Tenn., was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge, to serve 188 months in federal prison, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Greer previously sentenced Michael J. Brummitt, 44, also of Elizabethton, on Sept. 22, 2014, to serve 54 months in federal prison for also being a felon in possession of a firearm. Upon their release from prison, each will be subject to supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.

Both Tommy and Michael Brummitt pleaded guilty to possession of firearms after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. Tommy Brummitt was subject to the provisions of the Armed Career Criminal Act, which provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years for possession of a firearm after three prior felony convictions for violent offenses or drug trafficking offenses.

In October 2013, shots were fired from a vehicle in which the Brummitts, who are cousins, were traveling on Dry Creek Road in Elizabethton. Shotgun pellets struck several residences and some residents suffered injuries. The Brummitts fled from officers, but were quickly apprehended by deputies with the Carter County Sherriff’s Department. Each denied being the shooter, although the shots were fired from the vehicle in which only the two Brummitts were occupants.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation included the Carter County Sheriff’s Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Gregory Bowman represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.